Story+2000-05-08+Hartford,+CT

´´(sings ‘Take Me to the River’) That´s right....I can´t stand myself !....that’s where I wanna go tonight....I wanna go to that river....I wanna go to that river of life....and that river of love ....that river of hope.... and that river of faith.....I wanna find that river....of transformation where you can go there and you can be changed....and you can change yourself....I wanna find that river of resurrection.....where you can go and get your second chance.....I wanna find that river of, of sexual healing....let the healing begin !....and companionship.....let the healing begin, let it begin ! (chuckles) (?) tonight....that´s where I wanna go....and I want you to go with me tonight....that´s why I´m here.....because I need to go with you.....because I can´t get there by myself ....and you can´t get there by yourself, to all those things....that´s why we´re here..... and tonight I wanna throw us a rock and roll baptism....I wanna be washed in those waters....that have given me life (?) and set free....that´s where I wanna go tonight ....but, but once I stood, as a young man....I stood one evening before a dark grove of trees and it was just like it was when I was a little child, I was frightened to pass through those trees, I´d run through that forest in the evening thinking that the devil was on my, on my heels, afraid that I, I wouldn´t make it to the other side....well, I stood, as a young man, one evening frightened again to pass through that dark grove of trees even though I knew that on the other side was the river of life and cold beer at a reasonable price.....that´s right ....then a gypsy woman called me forth and she said ´Son, what you need is you need some help....what is your line ?´ and I told her what I did and she said ´Well, then, what you need is you need a band but not just any band !´....tonight I wanna introduce, on the piano, the Secretary, the dean of the university of musical keyboard perversity, Professor Roy Bittan ....with me at the riverside.....I want to go from the piano to the Soprano, ladies and gentlemen, and I wanna introduce the Minister of faith and friendship, keeper of all that is righteous and star of the ´Sopranos´-television-show, Little Steven on the guitar .... I wanna introduce the foundation of the E Street nation, on the bass guitar, Mr. Garry W.Tallent.....the Minister of the mighty beat and star of Late Night Television, the Mighty Max Weinberg.....on the guitar, Secretary of heart and spirit, Godfather of the guitar, Nils Lofgren.....on the organ, Brother Dan Federici, on the organ and accordion....and now all my accumulated wisdom has taught me one thing.... brunettes is fine, blondes is fun but when it come to getting a dirty job done, it takes a (crowd :‘Red Headed Woman’) I said I´m talking ´bout a (crowd : ‘Red Headed Woman’) I got to find my baby (crowd :‘Red Headed Woman’) I´m searching for my girl now (crowd :‘Red Headed Woman’) I´m creeping, I´m hiding (crowd :‘Red Headed Woman’) I´m running, I´m peeping (crowd :‘Red Headed Woman’) come on, sugar (Patti sings a bit of ´Rumble Doll´) the First Lady of love, on guitar and vocals, Miss Patti Scialfa....I´ve got to testify....thank you, baby....and now last but not least....a man without whom we wouldn´t be here tonight....the Minister of soul, Secretary of the brotherhood....and if we lived in a righteous nation, the next President of the United States....do I have to say his name ?....do I have to say his name ?...say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ? ...say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?.....”
 * 08.05.00 Hartford, CT, middle of ´Tenth Avenue Freeze Out´**

´´Thank you....gonna send this one out to for the folks that are with us from the Hartford Food System....theyre, uh, they´re always helping people in Connecticut have access to nutritious and affordable food, many, many people that the economy has not reached and is not reaching....and Hartford Food System is there to help them....meet their daily needs and to support and provide for them....that no child here in Connecticut may go to bed hungry at night, it´s the Hartford Food System .... they´ll be out in the lobby....they can use your time and your support in any way, please check ´em out....this is for them.....”
 * 08.05.00 Hartford, CT, intro to ´The Ghost of Tom Joad´**

´´Hartford !....the insurance capital of the world !.....(?) insure me now !....but everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve seen people lost in confusion....lost in the wilderness .... lost in bitterness.... lost in loneliness....but we’ve come thousands and thousands of miles and we’re here tonight on a search-and-rescue mission....if you need help, if you’re downhearted, disgusted, disspirited, dispossessed, downsized, analyzed, stigmatized, Republicanised, retropsychedelizised....I’m here tonight....I’m here tonight.... I’m here tonight....I’m here tonight....I’m here tonight....I’m here tonight .....I’m here tonight....I’m here tonight to re-educate, to resuscitate, to regenerate, to reconfiscate, to recombobolate, to resexualate....to reliberate you with the power and the glory, with the power and the glory, with the power and the glory, with the majesty, with the mystery....with the ministry of rock and roll !....but unlike my competitors, I shall not, I will not, I shall not, I cannot promise you life everlasting ....but if you call 1-800....I´ll promise you.....life right now !...and all you gotta do is raise your hand and say ‘I’.....”
 * 08.05.00 Hartford, CT, middle of ´Light of Day´**

//Compiled by : Johanna Pirttijärvi//